A position detection apparatus, called a tablet, has been developed as one of pointing devices used for producing an image or illustration on a computer apparatus. Such a position detection apparatus typically includes a position detector substantially in the form of a flat plate, and a pointer in the form of a pen to be operated by a user on the position detector.
As such a position detection apparatus, for example, a position detection apparatus based on an electrostatic coupling method has been developed. The position detection apparatus of the electrostatic coupling type includes, as principal components thereof, a pointer including an integrated circuit (IC) and a position detector including a sensor section having a group of conductors arrayed in a predetermined pattern. A predetermined signal is transmitted from the pointer, which is placed on the sensor section, to the conductor group, and the position pointed to by the pointer is detected by specifying the reception position of the transmission signal by the position detector.
A conventional position detection apparatus is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H8-50535.